The Iran & Persian Studies minor offers students courses on history and culture in the Iran & Persian world during the early modern and modern periods. It is an interdisciplinary minor open to undergraduates in all four colleges.

With prior consultation with an advisor, students can petition in advance the Program Committee to accept:

Other elective courses toward the minor program if the content is 50% or more on the Iranian and Persian World. Under no circumstances may more than one lower division course be offered in satisfaction of requirements for the minor.

Internship.Prerequisite(s):Consent of Instructor.Work experience on and off campus in all subject areas offered as part of the ME/SA Studies program. Internship supervised by a member of the ME/SA faculty.May be repeated up to 15 Unit(s).(P/NP grading only.)Effective: 2007 Fall Quarter.

Lecture—3 hour(s); Extensive Writing.Ethnographic and historical points of intersection and divergence in various aspects of the Middle East and South Asia in precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial societies. Anthropological, historical, and theoretical debates surrounding the region.(Letter.)GE credit: AH, SS, WC, WE.Effective: 2004 Summer Session 1.

MSA111A—Great Cities of Arab Middle East and South Asia(4)Active

Lecture—3 hour(s); Extensive Writing.Prerequisite(s):Consent of Instructor. Some knowledge of Islamic/Middle Eastern history is very useful.In-depth examination of the great cities of North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia as cultural and historical artifacts. Topics include: the concept of the Islamic city, processes of modernity, and representations that reinforce imagination, memory and personal identity.(Letter.)GE credit: AH, SS, WC, WE.Effective: 2013 Fall Quarter.

Lecture/Discussion—3 hour(s); Term Paper.In-depth analysis of the Persian Book of Kings (Shahnameh) by Abu al-Qasim Ferdowsi (d. 1020 CE) in its historical context with a comparative perspective on the role of this work in Persian and world literature.(Same course as COM 175.)(Letter.)GE credit: AH, WC, WE.Effective: 2015 Winter Quarter.

MSA121C—A Story for a Life: The Arabian Nights(4)Active

Lecture/Discussion—3 hour(s); Term Paper.In-depth exploration of The Arabian Nights, the best-known work of pre-modern Arabic literature and a major work of world literature. Analysis of the work in its historical context and in comparison to other frame tales in world literature.(Same course as COM 172 and ARB 140.)(Letter.)GE credit: AH, WC, WE.Effective: 2016 Winter Quarter.

Lecture/Discussion—3 hour(s); Film Viewing—3 hour(s).Prerequisite(s):Upper division standing, or consent of instructor.Iranian cinema of the 20th century in the context of profound cultural and social changes in Iran especially since the Iranian Revolution. Productions by representative directors such as Kiarostami, Makhmalbaf, Bahram Beizaie are included. Knowledge of Persian not required. (Same course as CTS 146A.)(Letter.)GE credit: AH, OL, VL, WC, WE.Effective: 2013 Fall Quarter.

Lecture—4 hour(s).Exploration of the role and experience of media technologies in the Arab world. Study of digital and electronic media as well as alternative media practices. Investigation of new trends in political activism and identity formation.(Same course as RST 166.)(Letter.)GE credit: OL, SS, VL, WC, WE.Effective: 2014 Fall Quarter.

Lecture—3 hour(s); Extensive Writing.Comparative perspective on the Middle East and South Asia. Topics may include: modernity, religious traditions, colonialism, subalternity and social movements, gender and sexuality, history and memory, science and development, ritual and performance, public culture, diasporas.May be repeated up to 1 Time(s) topic varies.(Letter.)GE credit: AH, SS, WC, WE.Effective: 2004 Fall Quarter.

MSA181A—Topics in Regional ME/SA Studies (4)Active

Lecture—3 hour(s); Term Paper.Iran & Persian topics for students specializing in region-specific Middle East and South Asia Studies.May be repeated up to 3 Time(s).(Letter.)GE credit: AH, SS, WC, WE.Effective: 2015 Winter Quarter.

MSA181B—Topics in Regional ME/SA Studies (4)Active

Lecture—3 hour(s); Term Paper.Indian/South Asia topics for students specializing in region-specific Middle East and South Asia Studies. May be repeated up to 3 Time(s).(Letter.)GE credit: AH, SS, WC, WE.Effective: 2013 Fall Quarter.

MSA181C—Topics in Regional ME/SA Studies: Arab Studies(4)Active

Lecture—3 hour(s); Term Paper.Arab Studies topics.May be repeated up to 3 Time(s) when different topics and themes are studied.(Letter.)GE credit: AH, SS.Effective: 2013 Fall Quarter.

Seminar—3 hour(s); Term Paper.Prerequisite(s):MSA 100 recommended.Class size limited to 15 students.Seminar in India/South Asia topics specializing in region-specific Middle East and South Asia studies. May be repeated up to 3 Time(s) when different topics and themes are studied.(Letter.)Effective: 2012 Fall Quarter.

Internship—3-36 hour(s).Prerequisite(s):Consent of Instructor.Supervised internship on and off campus in the area of Middle East and South Asia Studies.May be repeated up to 12 Unit(s).(P/NP grading only.)Effective: 2018 Spring Quarter.

MSA194H—Special Study for Honors Students(1-5)Active

Variable—3-15 hour(s).Prerequisite(s):Consent of Instructor. Open only to majors of senior standing who qualify for honors program.Independent study of a problem in Middle East/South Asian studies involving the writing of an honors thesis.May be repeated up to 12 Unit(s).(Letter.)Effective: 2009 Winter Quarter.